An Altered Prophecy
by Ravenling
Summary: Merlin had to admit, possessing magic and being a dragonlord did have its perks, especially if said perks include saving a King… Arthur wakes up safe and sound, but with some minor... repercussions… (Story diverges from the last episode of Merlin.)
1. Chapter 1

_Let loose the hounds of war._

_Let the dread fire of the last priestess reign down from the angry skies._

_For brother will slaughter brother.  
>For friend will murder friend.<br>As the great horn sounds, a cold dawn at Camlann.  
>The prophets do not lie.<br>There, Arthur will meet his end, upon that mighty plain._

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><p>For a day of a history of his own making, Arthur didn't quite remember half of it. Sure, he remembered the sound of his voice, hoarse even to his ears, as he urged his men onwards to war, the grate of metal against bone as Excalibur hit home, the lance of pain that shot through him as Mordred's sword dug into his side, and another kind of pain as Merlin made fire dance before his eyes…<p>

_Merlin_

Arthur shot up from the bed, surprising the lanky lad, echoes of Kilgharrah's last words still pounding in his ears. His vision swam as Merlin deftly pushed him back onto the bed, tutting loudly as he laid a damp cloth to the king's forehead.

"You've just recovered from half-deadness, don't move about yet. How many fingers have I got?" Merlin waved his hand in the air, alternating between two and three fingers.

"Ten, if you haven't accidentally cut one off preparing my breakfast" Arthur groaned aloud, pressing his hand against his ribs. The glimpse he saw of his surroundings confirmed that he is safely back in his chambers in Camelot. He felt no bandages, and no wound. The queasiness before had dissipated so Arthur sat back up, waving Merlin away when he made a move to push him back down again. Arthur rolled his shirt up, releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding when he saw his unmarked torso. Merlin had probably healed it with magic.

"I guess your magic does have its uses" Arthur grudgingly admitted, letting his shirt fall back in place. He had come to terms with Merlin's sorcery on the way to the Isle of the Blessed, but that didn't mean that he was okay with his frien- I mean, manservant hiding something so important, and hiding it for so long at that.

Merlin averted his eyes, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head with a hand.

"Well, it usually gets me burned at a pyre, so…" He shifted position, moving from the footstool to sit on the side of the bed, lapsing into silence. It seemed like he wanted to say something more, but he held himself back.

It took a few heartbeats, but Arthur was the first to speak.

"So, about this... Power… When did you learn it?"

"I didn't, I was born with it." Merlin deadpanned, looking straight at Arthur, "just as I was born to serve you." As if wanting to get something off his chest, he started talking, hesitantly at first, but his voice grew in strength as he narrated his version of the happenings in Camelot, preferring to keep it brief, faltering as he reached the part where the Great Dragon had told of his death after the battle with Morgana.

_Though no man, no matter how great, can know his destiny, some lives have been foretold._

Arthur heard Kilgharrah's words as if the dragon was there itself, felt the fragment of Modred's sword imbedded into his side before he succumbed to the wound and everything went black. But it didn't make sense, he was supposed to die that day, he had felt it in the malice that seeped from the sword fragment. He relayed his thoughts to the young warlock, earning him one of those trademark grins.

"I just changed fate, Greatest Magician Alive and all, you know me."

"Yes Merlin, unfortunately I do, and I just had the unfortunate luck of having him as my manservant.." Arthur paused as a thought struck him "You told me that the Old Priestess, Nimueh said that for a life to be given a life must be taken in return, so who died to save me?"

Before Merlin could reply, the doors to Arthur's bedchambers suddenly opened and Gaius stepped in, giving a curt nod of his head. Merlin ignored Arthur as if he didn't hear anything, got off the bed and headed for the double doors, giving a cheery 'good-to-be-back' to the court physician as he passed him.

"Oi, _Merlin! Merlin you clod pole I haven't finished!_" Arthur threw one of his denser pillows at the manservant who was halfway out the door.

A frazzled Gwen suddenly charged in, pitcher of water in hand. "Arthur thank god y-" she suddenly froze and dropped the pitcher. Merlin hastily muttered a verse and the pitcher halted its descent, half a second away from crashing to the floor.

"Merlin! It hasn't even been a day and you're already using magic everywhere!" Gaius hollered, weathered hand coming up to massage his temples. Granted, everyone in the room knew of his powers but that didn't mean that he could start using them so freely.

Merlin gathered up the pitcher, "what do you mean, all I did was stop the jug-" he blanched at the pillow that was in mid-air, hardly a foot from hitting Gwen.

"That wasn't me."

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><p>(AN: Phew, that took longer than expected, I had to check my facts with the Merlin wiki for a few things. This fic starts deviating from the original series after Kilgharrah flew Merlin and Arthur to the Isle of the Blessed. Reviews would be much appreciated~ )


	2. Chapter 2

The Queen slammed the doors shut and turned to the room's occupants, her back against the door as she traded wide-eyed glances between the three men and suspended pillow. "Okay, I need to know _exactly _what is happening here."

Merlin spoke first. "It wasn't me," he added helpfully.

"But _you're_ the sorcerer," Arthur shot back.

"Doesn't mean that I'm always the one behind this-"

"But I thought you usually are."

"But I'm not. Well, not this time anywa-"

"Would you both please be quiet?" Gaius could feel the beginnings of a headache already. He shuffled to the king's side, lowering himself onto the footstool Merlin vacated, firing off instructions as he went. "Merlin, put down that pitcher and get the king a glass of water, Guinevere, please lock the door and grab that floating pillow- I assure you it won't bite, and my lord... How are you feeling today?"

"Not half-bad, to be honest. In fact, I've haven't felt any better to be honest," Arthur replied and stretched, as if to emphasize the point. Gwen, after following Gaius' instructions, rushed to his side and enveloped him in a hug, pillow still in hand. "Really Arthur, did you have to scare me like that? I thought you were dead." Smiling, she kissed him on the lips.

Gaius took the king's hand and checked his pulse, letting Gwen fuss over the rest of her husband. The court physician then took a look at Arthur's abdomen, palpitated the area where Mordred had pierced him and checked his temperature. Failing to find anything untoward, he pronounced the king in good health.

"It would seem that the fever you had when you were unconscious has come down, which is a good thing. However, I would still advise against any strenuous exercises or sleepless nights for the time being." Merlin snorted and Gwen threw the pillow at him, missing by a hair's breadth. Gaius ignored the both of them and shouldered on. "Now, my lord, do you feel a tingling sensation anywhere? Hands? Feet? No? Okay." The physician asked a few more questions, all the while inspecting Arthur's right, then left hand. Seeming satisfied by his findings, Gaius accepted the goblet of water Merlin handed over, and unearthed a vial containing dark purple liquid from the depths of his robes. Pouring the contents of the vial into the goblet, he presented it to the king, who reluctantly took it, sniffing the contents.

"What's this concoction Gaius?" Arthur squinted at the purple water.

"A combination of the essence of fermented mashed-grapes and drinking water, in other words, wine-flavoured water," Gaius replied drily. "Does absolutely nothing for a completely healthy man, but it does lift the spirits up when there is a lack of celebratory wine to go around. Speaking of which, after this drink I would strongly advise you against consuming anything containing the inebriating qualities of wine for at least three days."

Expressing his thanks, Arthur let Gwen take a sip before downing the goblet's contents. Despite feeling slightly light-headed after drinking the wine itself tasted pretty good and Arthur made a mental note to probe Gaius about the procurement of a dozen of those little vials at a later time. All matters concerning the king's physical wellbeing seemingly settled, Merlin piped up.

"Gaius?"

"Yes Merlin."

"About that pillow..."

"Ah, yes." Gaius turned to the king and cleared his throat. "It appears, my lord, that you possess magic." Time seemed to stop for the king as he struggled with this new piece of information. Gwen seemed equally as stunned, gaze travelling from Arthur, to Merlin then to Gaius.

"But that is hardly right, Arthur doesn't have magic." Gwen chuckled nervously, an incredulous look on her face. Beside her, Arthur burst into a fit of laughter, only stopping to catch his breath a while later. "Oh, Gaius, my sides, you really have a sense of humor…" He trailed off when he realized the court physician wasn't joking.

"You can't be serious," Arthur spluttered. "I have never involved myself with magic, king's word. My father, well… You know my father. He would spit fire at the mention of sorcery, forbade me to show mercy to anyone wielding magic and all that. I myself have never practiced anything of the sort, and he'd have me lit at a pyre if I did." Seeming at a loss of anything else to say, he flopped back onto the bed, slinging an arm over his eyes as he stifled a curse. A moment later, his breathing evened out and gave way to low snores. An unsurprised Gwen gently arranged Arthur's limbs into a more comfortable position and stood up, giving a small curtsy.

"Thank you Gaius, and you, Merlin, for bringing Arthur back to me, for everything you have done up until now." Abandoning the role of Queen for the moment, she embraced the court physician and his ward, giving each of them a light peck on the cheek. "I'll escort you guys back to your quarters." Grabbing three cloaks from Arthur's cupboard- one for herself, and another two for Gaius and Merlin- she whirled around to see only Gaius and an unlatched door. Merlin must have slipped away quietly while she wasn't looking. Returning one of the cloaks to its place, she inquired "Merlin off to the tavern again?"

She had pretty much put two and two together with Merlin's disappearances to the 'tavern' and the inexorable happenings around Camelot so when Gaius replied in the affirmative, she just smiled, choosing not to ask any further. If Merlin would want her to know, he would tell her in due time. She gently closed the doors and handed Gaius one of the cloaks, donning one herself. They proceeded in companionable silence out of the room and down the corridor.

"By the way," Gaius said, "how are you not affected by the sleeping draught?" The wine-smelling draught was his most potent invention yet, capable of knocking out the hardiest of men within a few minutes. Gwen smiled, her dimples clearly showing.

"One of the many duties of a personal maidservant of the princess of Camelot is to taste a portion of the food and drinks that will be served before mealtimes in case of hidden poisons. If there was poison in the dishes, the cook would be replaced with a new one and the food re-prepared. Uther- may he rest in peace- had many enemies, and I slowly built a partial immunity to the toxins. I can still feel the effects, but on a smaller scale." They were ascending a spiral staircase now, the occasional window placed at strategic intervals giving those who looked out a 360 degree view of the city. The streets, so busy with life in the mornings and afternoons, were empty save for a few stragglers in the evening.

"Besides," she added, "I would recognize the smell of the sleeping draught you usually give Morgana anywhere, I'm the one who usually prepares it." A hint of sadness tinged her words.

"You miss her," Gaius raised an eyebrow. Truth be told, he had no pity for the priestess. Morgana was the reason Gwaine was not there with them, the reason for the battle at Camlann, the reason for Uther's death and many other things.

"Sometimes… You have to understand, Gaius. Before Morgause, before… Before _this-_" She gestured at the multitude of first-aid tents dotting the city, "Morgana was kind to me and treated me more like a sister than a servant. She did not know of my testing her food until she stumbled upon me while I was in pain from a poison. When she found out about it she got pretty angry and made Uther promise not to treat servants as guinea pigs. It took a while, but he agreed. And I respect her for it. It takes a lot of bullheadedness to change Uther's ways when his are set in stone."

They arrive at Gaius' chambers, the court physician bowing slightly before Gwen. "You really have changed, haven't you?" He unclasped his cloak and returned it to Gwen who replied somewhat sadly, "you and me both, Arthur and Merlin as well." Gaius suddenly found himself enveloped in a forceful hug that squeezed the breath from his lungs. Gwen stepped back a little, folding Gaius' cloak neatly, a habit from her maidservant days that still stayed. "Be safe, and give Merlin the day off, he surely needs it. He's been rushing back and forth between the castle and the infirmary these past few days."

Gaius chuckled, "Arthur promised him two."

"Generous isn't he?" With that, the Queen left. A cry of pain called for Gaius attention. He shuffled into his chambers, pursing his lips at the newest patient that fell off one of the many occupied makeshift cots. The light glow of evening was soon replaced by the darkness of night as Gaius worked his own type of magic, soothing wounds with herbs and balm. He paused, midway dressing a wound to look out into the starlit sky. Thinking the stars unusually bright, he pondered the implications of a king wielding magic before a groan brought him back. Any other thoughts would have to wait, there were half a dozen more wounds to clean.

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><p>(AN: Ughhh, I wanted to try for a humour fic but my natural instincts keep veering off into the suspense/drama section. Welp, might as well. Changing to suspense/drama with weak attempts of humour. Worried about where Merlin ran off to? We'll get to it in a moment. Thank you for reading and if you would, any feedback would be much appreciated.)


	3. Chapter 3

_Almost looking as exhausted as he felt, Merlin half dragged, half carried the unconscious king onto the isle. The mist that usually shrouded the isle felt particularly thick as Merlin struggled into the decrepit castle, Arthur in tow. Arthur's breathing was ragged, and it became increasingly labored as they approached the center of the castle. Reaching a stone pillar, Merlin hoisted Arthur against it, propping him up as best as he could. He placed two fingers at the king's neck, sighing in relief as he felt a pulse. There was still time._

_"Stay with me Arthur, I got you. We'll make it through this, together." Merlin whispered. Arthur didn't respond, his breathing nothing more than shallow gasps._

_All around Merlin, the mist thickened and from it stepped out three Disir, surrounding the two men, staves in hand. Merlin whirled around, desperation in his eyes as he pleaded to the Disir, "please, save Arthur! A fragment of Mordred's sword is lodged in his side! Please, you've got to help him."_

_ The Disir on his left let out a breathy sigh, "he has done much to harm those wielding magic, as did his father before him."_

_"My King is not like his father." Merlin shot back, his hand travelling back to the weak heartbeat at Arthur's throat. "King Arthur is the hope of Albion, he understands that magic can be used for good as well as evil. I told him that I have magic, and he hasn't killed me yet has he? I'm still alive, standing before you."_

_"Only because he cannot, weakened as he is now. Emrys, you have seen firsthand his judgement upon those with magic. The man has persecuted them without mercy, he attempted to kill Kilgharrah, he killed druids, and he killed Osgar."_

_The second Disir nodded, "He killed a unicorn too." The last Disir gave vent to a breathy laugh "But the unicorn didn't die now did it?"_

_"All the same, he took its horn." The first Disir commented._

_Merlin had half a mind to shout at the three of them, his friend was dying right beside him and he brought him here in the hope of saving him, to the people who foretold his damnation and happen to be his only chance of salvation, only to find them arguing back and forth about unicorns. Frustration got the better of him and he lashed out at them. "We returned the horn! The unicorn was restored to life! And that's because Arthur is pure of heart else the unicorn would not be revived! Will you all let one of pure heart die?! If so, then you're all the same as Uther!"_

_The Disir vented what amounted to breathy laughs, though it sounded more like hollow wheezing to his ears. "The boy has a point," the second Disir rasped out, then pointed his staff at Merlin, who stiffened in response. "But Emrys, think carefully. He has seen what horrors sorcery has wrought upon the land. Before his father outlawed magic, Camelot itself was almost destroyed by it. His half-sister, Morgana has used magic for nothing other than evil. To him, magic has done nothing but ruin lives." The Disir added, "Do you think that Arthur will accept sorcery as a part of his life once he is cured? Do you think that YOU will be able to stay by his side when he clearly knows of your secret? Isn't that the reason why you kept your magic a secret from him? What is to stop him from lighting you at a pyre once he is well?"_

_Merlin faltered at the Disir's words, his unspoken fears voiced out into the open. It was true, he feared for his life even as he tried desperately to save Arthur's. He remembered the look of terror on his face when he coaxed the image of a dragon from the campfire's embers, and how Arthur shrank back from him right after with a pained look. But Arthur had thanked him, hadn't he? Even though Merlin revealed his powers, Arthur thanked him for everything he had done. More importantly, Arthur had called him his _friend._ And Arthur was nothing but loyal to his friends. A spark of hope ignited as he further processed the Disir's words. The Disir had implied that they could save Arthur._

_The third Disir chose this time to rasp out with a tone of finality. "We cannot save him." Merlin's head shot up at those words, the shred of hope replaced by a sinking feeling, "why the bloody hell not?" _

_"Because he has angered our Goddess, he did not accept magic. He did not embrace the Old Religion."_

_Glancing back at the king's pale face, Merlin had a flashback of the time when Arthur asked whether he should acknowledge the Old Religion and save Mordred's life, or forsake it and let Mordred die. Arthur had truly considered embracing the Old Religion, never mind that his real reason was to save Mordred. But Merlin was against it, and Arthur took his advice to heart. If it was anyone who abandoned the Old Religion, it was Merlin himself. Arthur did not deserve to die._

_Merlin took a deep breath and stood up. The manservant's eyes shone with desperation but his voice was steady as he proposed an unbelievable scheme to the Disir, one that had even them stepping back._

_"What if I made him accept the Old Religion?" Not giving time for the Disir to speak, Merlin continued, his voice rising with every syllable. "What if I made him come to acknowledge sorcery and to stop the killing of innocent magic users? Will that be that sufficient? Will you save him then?" The Disir seemed to pause for thought, the lull in chatter giving Merlin a ray of hope._

_"I swear by my name Emrys, that I will change Arthur for the better. I will make him acknowledge magic. Sorcery will not be outlawed and the people of Camelot will coexist harmoniously with those that have it. You have my word." Merlin knelt down beside Arthur, once again putting two fingers to his throat._

_A tear slipped past and trickled down his cheek. Arthur barely had a heartbeat left._

_A shift in the winds made him look up at the three Disir who had huddled closer. The first Disir knelt down and spoke, voice hardly above a whisper. "Very well, our Goddess agrees. We will honour the pact. You have chosen a difficult path. Remember your promise Emrys. Arthur's fate lies in your hands." Merlin felt relief wash over him at those words._

_"Thank yo-" A loud 'thunk' resounded through the castle as wooden staff met the back of a very hard, raven-haired head. Merlin crumpled to the floor. The third Disir whipped back her staff and cackled, "I'd like to see him put us on the same level as Uther again."_

_Petty revenge settled, the Disir surrounded the unconscious king and his manservant and began their incantations…_

_Merlin only woke up a few hours later, hunched over an unconscious Arthur as Kilgharrah flew them back to Camelot. Rubbing the bump on his head, he muttered "damn witches."_

Meanwhile, in the present…

Merlin snuck out the king's chambers, silently mouthing an apology to his guardian, who merely waved him on. He hurried down the castle's corridors, eerily silent save for the sound of his footsteps. Skirting past a few soldiers on patrol, he reached the stables. As expected, a solitary stable-hand was standing guard. Merlin skirted the well-lighted areas of the stables, magic tingling at the tips of his fingers as he took aim before a loud "Merlin!" startled him. It was Percival who spotted Merlin lurking in the shadows. The knight was in civilian clothes, right arm in a cast and sporting a nasty bruise on the right side of his face.

"Hey! Merlin! Fancy seeing you here," he clapped the manservant heavily on the back with his free hand, laughing when Merlin winced slightly at every clap. "Geez, don't look so forlorn, we won the battle! How have you been? I've been seeing you everywhere these days, busy man you are. Pretty sure old Gaius is working his breeches off tending to the wounded…Last I saw, the infirmary was a warzone." He chuckled at his own pun. "But thank god most of the wounded are recovering nicely. How long has it been since the war at Camlann? Two days? Three?"

"Actually, that would be a day and three-quarters, since the day is not over yet." Merlin grinned and continued, "I'm glad that you're still here with us." He winced again as Percival laughed and brought his hand down on his back again. Inwardly, Merlin sighed. He had wanted to borrow a horse for the journey ahead as he wanted to rendezvous with Kilgharrah in the middle of the woods, and had intended to put the stable-hand to sleep for a short while. But with his cover blown, he wasn't so sure he could pull off sleeping both the knight and stable-hand without arousing suspicion. The patrolmen making their rounds on the castle balcony were also looking their way.

"Anyway, what are you doing here? Sending for more herbs? I remember Gaius lamenting about a lack of driftwort when he mummified my arm," Percival smiled while waving his cast to show that he meant it as a joke. A light bulb went off in Merlin's mind, "ah yes, Gaius did ask me to get him more driftwort, as well as fresh pine leaves and night-glories." Merlin listed out a few other things for good measure. "I was hoping to borrow a horse so I can collect some."

"Outside the city?" Percival's eyes nearly popped out, "It's dangerous, I'll come with you!" He signaled at the stable-hand to prepare two horses. Merlin couldn't help but feel a little annoyed, even though he was a little touched by his concern. Of all the days for the knight to be thoughtful, it had to be today. "You can't, your sword arm is broken, you're not fending off anything in that state." He gestured to the sling. "Plus, I run faster than you."

Percival was concerned for the lanky lad to be out alone but Merlin did have a point.

"Besides, I'll only be gathering the driftwort that's growing near the city. The rest of the materials can be safely bought from the local herb-store, I won't step foot into the forest." Merlin's assurance did ease his worries a little but not by much. "I'll come help anyway."

"Since when have you known to how to collect driftwort?" They both laughed. Conceding defeat, Percival stepped back as Merlin mounted the bay the stable-hand brought forth.

"Alright, but be safe, and don't go wandering off where ya shouldn't be." Without waiting for a reply, Percival turned back and shooed the stable-boy and a saddled dapple-grey back to the stables.

Merlin chuckled at the face the curly-haired youth made when he thought he wasn't looking, probably upset that he brought out an extra horse for nothing. Waving goodbye to Percival, Merlin tugged lightly at the reins and eased the bay into a canter, his eyes flashing golden as he passed the archway that segregated the stables from the city ahead. A moment later the mare the stable-boy was unsaddling reared, backing the boy up and making him fall into the water trough. Percival's hearty laugh echoed through a good half of the castle.

It didn't take long before Merlin left the city behind, their lights small pinpricks in the background. Reaching a clearing, Merlin called out for Kilgharrah. It wasn't long before a familiar figure swooped low over the trees to land in the clearing. Merlin's horse reared in fright, the white of its eyes showing as it picked up the scent of dragon. Instinct made it bolt in the other direction before Merlin took control again, yanking hard on the reins. He had to picket the horse a good distance away from Kilgharrah for it to stop trying to run away.

Merlin scratched the back of his head as he approached Kilgharrah, "sorry about that, I didn't know that horses were squeamish around dragons." A deep rumble emanated from the dragon's chest as he settled down, carefully folding his wings so that the wound he obtained a time ago could not be seen. It had somewhat healed with time but the latest jaunt from the Isle of the Blessed to Camelot had reopened it again, though Kilgharrah was careful not to let the warlock notice. "With good reason, I used to like having them as an afternoon snack back when I was young."

The manservant remarked, "you sound just like an old man." Kilgharrah sniffed, "I _am _old, but I'll outlive any old man you can throw at me, eaten a few too. But I digress. So what did you summon me for young warlock?"

"Arthur has magic."

The dragon's eyes widened, but he said nothing more than a 'hmm'.

"Did you know about this?"

"Perhaps."

"Then why didn't you tell me anything?" Merlin didn't mean it to sound like an accusation, catching himself a moment later.

Kilgharrah harrumphed, "age has dulled my senses. I can't accurately foretell the future as I once could."

"Sorry Kilgharrah. I stepped out of line there. It's just that- the Disir, and Arthur almost dying, and, and a lot of things- and now- Arthur and pillows, and he just-" Merlin pressed his palms against his scrunched up eyes. "Aargh, this doesn't make any sense." He paced before the dragon, retelling the confrontation with the Disir and his promise to them. "It's probably another way besides my promise to 'insure' that Arthur would lift the ban on sorcery." Turning to Kilgharrah, he asked, "did the Disir say anything to you when you met them?"

"No. Other than appearing from the mist and asking me to get you and Arthur to safety, they didn't say a word. I would have sneaked you both into the tents at Camlann but I doubt I could blend into the environment." Kilgharrah split into a wide grin, his canines showing. "So I flew back to Camelot. You were already conscious by then and already know the rest."

Merlin did. He had called Gaius and together, they had made it seem as if the king was brought back with the first batch of returning soldiers. It was a close thing, but with Gwen's help and a little sleight-of-hand, they pulled it off without a hitch.

There was a glint in the dragon's eye when he asked Merlin if he still remembered his destiny.

"I'm supposed to use my gifts to protect Arthur and bring about the time of Albion..." His brows knitted together, not really understanding what Kilgharrah was getting at.

Kilgharrah continued, "to guide Arthur who will bring peace to Camelot, Merlin. For without you, there will be no Albion. _To guide._" Kilgharrah sat back on his haunches, eyeing Merlin with poorly-disguised amusement.

"Wait, waitwaitwaitwaitwait!" Merlin stepped back, waving his hands as he spoke, his jaw dropped as he processed what the dragon said. "I have to teach Arthur how to use magic? What?!"

Kilgharrah burst out into deep-chested laughter as Merlin started ranting, "no, absolutely not! Arthur? Learning magic? That dollophead? Not a chance in hell." Half gasping for breath, the dragon snickered, "I do not envy you the task."

Suddenly growing somber, he called Merlin by his other name, "Emrys." Merlin blinked, he couldn't remember a time when Kilgharrah spoke his name in such a serious tone, let alone his other name. His attention brought back, the dragon spoke again. "There are other forces at work here, so I pray that you stay sharp. Everything is not as it seems. My foresight may be failing but I can still provide guidance if you should ever need me." Kilgharrah coughed, and corrected himself. "Guidance until the end of my days, that is."

Merlin suddenly remembered the wound on Kilgharrah's wing, and exclaimed. "How is it? Really, you should let me heal you... Your time isn't up yet, you've still got a ways to go so just let me take a look at it." But once again the dragon waved away his concern.

Kilgharrah really didn't understand the warlock's wish for him to keep on living. As one of the last remaining dragons, he would be subject to a solitary and lonely life, with no companion and in constant fear. Up until now, he had rarely flown as high as he liked, preferring to keep close to the woods lest someone see him and start a dragon-hunt. Aithusa, who he treated like a daughter, had sided with Morgana and disappeared midway through the Camlann battle, neither hide nor hair to be found even as Kilgharrah searched high and low. The dragon found no reason to exist just for the sake of existing, but he didn't tell Merlin that. The warlock already had so much on his plate and adding to his worries was not on the list of things Kilgharrah wanted to do.

Kilgharrah watched as Merlin admitted defeat and bade his farewells with a worried frown, watched as he rode his horse back to Camelot, until both human and horse were swallowed by the shadow of the woods before he stretched his wings, splaying them with a pained groan. If the wound would not kill him, then he resolved to find something that would. But before that, he had one last mission to complete.

An eerie mist suddenly coalesced around the dragon, wherein from one lone figure clothed in a black hood stepped out. It was one of the Disir, sturdy staff in hand. Kilgharrah narrowed his eyes at the figure, his dislike emanating from every pore.

"It is done," the dragon spit out. "I have done what you asked of me, I told Emrys of his real destiny."

The lone Disir nodded, both hands clutching at the staff. "So it would seem. As promised." She tapped her staff and a white dragon emerged from the mist. Aside from looking slightly malnourished there were no apparent wounds on Aithusa. Half-lidded eyes looked right at Kilgharrah but there was no spark of recognition there. Kilgharrah sucked in a breath. Turning to the Disir, he growled. "What have you done to her?"

The Disir held out her hand and Aithusa went to nuzzle it. "Nothing we have not done when we laid enchantments on her before her birth." She scratched under the white dragon's chin. "A fully grown dragon is truly hard to bend to our will, but an unhatched one is a different story altogether. We just placed several enchantments when she was in the Tomb of Ashkanar and she follows our every word." The Disir melded into the mist as Kilgharrah snapped at her. She reformed on the opposite side of Aithusa, who did not so much as blink.

"Tell me, if only to humour me, why did you send Aithusa to Morgana?" Kilgharrah would have spewed fire at the mist until it evaporated along with the Disir but he knew that it would not hurt her. The Disir cackled.

"Fate. Destiny." She waved her staff around, "we see the future, we know the past. We see the answer our Goddess seeks, and we seek the present that encourages it."

"In other words, you manipulated her." Kilgharrah kneaded the dirt beneath his claws. He hated indirect answers, even though he gave many of them himself. "And her not speaking?" The Disir cackled again, her staff-waving getting more intense. "Aithusa has seen too much, heard too much, knows too much, too much, too much!"

"And of Emrys? You knew that Arthur would fall in battle and that Emrys would save him. You manipulated every single one of them all along." The Disir did nothing to deny the accusation, only breathing a few unintelligible words. The mist suddenly thickened until Kilgharrah could only see a few feet in front of him. He growled a warning. If the Disir wanted a confrontation, then he'd give her one.

"So you controlled Aithusa all this time, made her a mute, planted magic in the king and made Merlin keep his magic a secret, all for a prophecy." Kilgharrah spewed a burst of flame at the Disir. But the figure was not affected by the flames. She raised a finger. "Right on all counts, save for one. But this will be a secret between you and me."

"We did not plant magic in the king. He had it in him all along." She breathed a sigh when Kilgharrah seemed taken aback. "All we needed to do was to seal and unseal the magic within him." The Disir jabbed her staff into the ground, her voice barely above a whisper, "It is to stand within reason that a child born of sorcery would also possess a certain amount of power. That is another one of the things Nimueh failed to tell Uther Pendragon when he begged for her help. We just ensured his child's safety as he grew up."

Kilgharrah sighed. "What's stopping me from telling all of this to Merlin?"

"Because it would… Complicate matters... And we don't want to worry Emrys any more than we ought to, yes?"

She had called his bluff. Merlin would carry the story of Arthur's birth to his grave, but if Arthur found out the real truth behind the death of his mother, there was no telling what he would do to Merlin, him being the main reason Arthur believed that Morgause lied and there was no sorcery involved in his birth. Letting them think that the Disir gave Arthur magic at the Isle of the Blessed was the safest way to go.

Kilgharrah _felt_ more than saw the Disir's smile. It sent chills down his spine.

"Wonderful, now, let's get back to business." The mist that had thickened now dissipated, leaving the two dragons and the Disir along with several ovoid objects scattered on the ground before them. All the years spent on the earth and Kilgharrah could not find anything as shocking as he did then.

_Dragon eggs._

There were seven of them, located haphazardly in the clearing, each shell varying from a light shade of blue to peach colour and dotted with spots. As he stared in amazement, the Disir went to each egg, muttering incomprehensible words as she circled each and every one of them, her staff held high. Her whispered words carried to Kilgharrah, "_Etmyer, Valiske, Orismer, Leph, Sapphira, Hunther, Thorn. Seno deman, sllehs yht morf slaes yht esaeler_".They were seals that stopped the flow of time on the eggs, Kilgharrah realized, and her words removed them.

The Disir shuffled back to Aithusa, and pointed her staff at the white dragon. "_Aithusa_,_ Eerf era uoy, sesruc ruo tfil ew._" Aithusa blinked a few times, then shook herself as if waking from a long nap.

"You have kept your end of the bargain, and we will ours. You shall have Aithusa back, free from any enchantments we placed on her." She pointed at the eggs and continued, "as a bonus, we'll also be giving you these. These are the eggs that were meant to hatch the year Uther called for the slaying of dragons and dragonlords. We sealed them right after dragonlords named them." A sudden fireball enveloped the Disir, followed by a roar as Aithusa charged headfirst into it, coming out the other side none the worse for wear. The fireball dissipated, leaving nothing but charred ground in its wake, the Disir was nowhere to be found.

Kilgharrah stared at the white dragon, unsure if Aithusa was in the right state of mind. He hesitantly called out to her, "Aithusa? Can you hear me?"

"Bollocks," Aithusa snorted, "I thought I had her."

"You can talk?" Kilgharrah got the second shock of his life. These revelations did spells on his heart, good spells but if this kept up he wasn't so sure his heart could take it. Aithusa laughed, "they could control me, but they couldn't control my mind, so they put silencing spells on me. I couldn't talk normally or telepathically."

The sound of tapping brought their attention to the seven dragon eggs, all of which were either shaking or rolling about. Kilgharrah watched in wonder as the first of the dragon eggs, one with a light blue shell, rolled over and cracked. A sticky mottled-brown fledgling tumbled out of it along with the remainder of egg fluids, squeaking in protest. "That's Etmyer," Aithusa supplied helpfully. She named the dragons as they were born. Soon the glade was filled with the squeaking of seven newly-hatched dragonlings. There were four males and three females.

Aithusa helped Kilgharrah gather the seven onto his back. Spurred on by instinct, the hatchlings latched on tightly to his back as Kilgharrah took off from the clearing. He set off in a southwards direction, away from Camelot and its neighboring cities, flying at a steady pace. Try as he might Kilgharrah couldn't wipe the goofy looking smile off his face. Aithusa followed closely behind, ready to catch a hatchling should one of them fall.

They flew onwards, reaching another clearing with a huge waterfall that flowed into a lake. Aithusa dove straight through it, alighting on a rocky ledge hidden behind the rushing waters. Kilgharrah conducted himself more carefully, circling once before diving through in an attempt to minimize the amount of water splashed onto the precious cargo on his back. It didn't work very well. Squeals of protest rang through the ledge into the cave that lay ahead, frightening the bats that slept there. Aithusa breathed fire on several of them as they flew past, scorching a few. The smell of burnt meat had the hatchlings detach from Kilgharrah's back and flutter tentatively to the smoking corpses on the floor.

Kilgharrah felt affection bloom in his heart for the dragons as they tucked into their first meal. Aithusa sat beside him, amusing herself with breathing fire on more bats as they flew past. Her eye caught on the gash on Kilgharrah's wing and she whined worriedly.

"Oh, this little scratch? Not to worry, it's nothing." Kilgharrah concentrated and his eyes flashed golden. The skin started to slowly knit itself back. In a matter of minutes there was nothing left of the wound but a lighter-coloured scar.

He would die, Kilgharrah decided, but not before Aithusa and the rest of his motley crew turned into self-sustaining adults. Death had waited more than a thousand years to take his life, a few more years wouldn't matter. He felt as if his life had a purpose once more, and it was to act as their guardian and ensure their safety.

Once the seven newborns were sated and asleep, he started chatting with Aithusa, asking a few questions while Aithusa did most of the talking. Aithusa seemed eager to share all that she had experienced since her capture by the Disir. Kilgharrah mostly listened and relished in the company of another talking dragon.

A few hours later he somewhat regretted the thought. Aithusa just wouldn't shut up.

* * *

><p>(AN: Hello there~ I tried to speed up the plot as well as to add in the explanations to link everything up into a somewhat coherent piece. I hope I succeeded teehee~ Wow how on earth did it turn into so many words! (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻)

I'm not exactly sure where to reply to reviews [[SWEATS NERVOUSLY]]. So I'll just put it here.. ((kicked to the moon))  
>Haha yep <strong>MerlinMorgana1579<strong> Arthur has magic~ It kinda started off with the plot bunny of Arthur not dying and picked up from there.  
><strong>mersan123<strong> I hope this chapter sufficiently explains the questions posed in the first and second chapters! If I do miss out on anything let me know!  
>Thank you <strong>XxPurpleAngel9xX<strong>, and really? I thought there were many fics concerning Arthur and magic around 8'D  
>And also thank you too <strong>consultingsorcererof221B<strong>, glad you liked it.

EDITED: I've misspelt Kilgharrah's name all this time! ASDFGHJKL!

Any feedback would be appreciated~ as always thank you for reading! **SPARKLES FOR EVERYONEEEE** (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧ (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧ (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧


	4. Chapter 4

Merlin elbowed his way into Arthur's bedchambers, fully expecting to find a still-sleeping king but Arthur was already up, and with his head in his hands. Arthur looked up when Merlin entered, breakfast in one hand and a change of clothes in the other.

"I believe it's the first time you're late."

Merlin clearly ignored his jibe, preferring to tear open the curtains to show the morning sun barely rising above the horizon, setting down his clothes and bringing his breakfast tray over. He suddenly tripped, sending its contents flying towards Arthur.

Arthur's eyes glowed golden as he instinctively stopped his breakfast midway, sausage, bacon and eggs suspended in mid-air. "Amazing" He muttered, one hand reaching out for a sausage, before snatching it back as if being stung.

Merlin scrambled back up and hastily plucked the offending bits of food from the air, grinning. "I know right? Magic can be convenient sometimes."

"Not that, I mean how you can still trip over absolutely nothing at all." Arthur settled back warily as Merlin set his tray down, still mulling over his magic. Oblivious to his king's mental state, the manservant busied himself tidying the room while rattling off the day's itinerary.

"First you'll have a speech to make in two hours' time, then a trip to the Infirmary and first-aid stations to see the wounded, and after that- Gwen is already helping out there so you'll be able to meet up with her- I'm guessing you will be there for a few hours, then slightly after midday you both will be dining with the court nobles. Don't get too drunk now, because you will need to have your evening free, and when we're done, you will also have to make another speech at dinnertime which will be a big feast to celebrate winning the war and your recovery. You can be as drunk as you like then."

The king processed all that he had said while chowing down on his food- after two days of not eating he was absolutely _starving_- mind whirling with the many things that needed to be done.

"What's the speech for?"

"To announce that His Highness is well and that we have won the war. More of a courtesy than anything, and it will have to be thirty minutes long." Arthur nearly spit out his food.

"I can't possibly prepare a thirty minute speech in two hours! Twenty minutes maximum!"

"I've got most of the speech written out." Merlin dangled a piece of parchment before Arthur. Arthur snatched it from his hands, squinting at the spidery scrawls.

"Hardly above average in terms of vocabulary and sorely lacking in character but it will have to do." The king grabbed a quill from his nightstand and started editing and adding to the text as Merlin cleared away the dishes.

"By the way, what's happening in the evening that I have to keep it free?"

Merlin clapped his hands together in an all-too-cheerful way. "Your very first magic lesson."

Arthur set down his quill and sighed in an exaggerated fashion. "Merlin, I am the king of Camelot and as so, duty-bound to persecute any magic-wielder I see. Tell me why I have not done the same to you for flaunting magic so openly, let alone _daring _to suggest teaching _me_ sorcery."

"Because I am the single, most loyal, charming and hardworking manservant to have ever served you?"

"No. It's because incompetent servants are nearing extinction and I'm trying to preserve the last of their race." Arthur rolled his eyes. "Point being, I am _not_ learning magic."

Merlin chose this time to hurl the king's breakfast fork at him. Arthur's eyes flashed golden again and the fork stopped a hairsbreadth from hitting him smack on the face. Merlin folded his hands, "you see, you're using magic instinctively, you're not even _trying_ not to use it." He held up a hand when Arthur opened his mouth to protest. "I know it just happens, I was like that myself in the early stages, but listen to me. You have to learn how to control it. What happens if you unconsciously use magic in sight of people? The king himself, representative of the city Camelot which forbids magic, do you know the furor it would cause? I made a pact with the Disir to save your life, and you possessing magic is the price they exacted in return for keeping you alive. I will not let my efforts go to waste by a lynch mob crying for your head when your magic is seen."

"Then we'll just do away with that part of the law."

Arthur's nonchalant way of saying it infuriated Merlin. He slammed his hands on the nightstand, really wanting to bring it upon the king's head. Leave it to Arthur to find the easy way out. "Have you the brains of a fly? You can't just _do away_ with the law! The people of Camelot have been living with it since ages! Camelot was nearly destroyed by magic! Why do you think I've hidden my powers for this long? What will they say when the king suddenly decides to change the law for no apparent reason?!" Granted, the abolishment of that law was what Merlin had promised the Disir, but it had to be done in stages. If the people did not take well to the sudden change, there was no telling what they would do.

Arthur only looked bemused at the death glares Merlin was giving him. "But I do have a reason. My life was saved by magic. Don't give me that look." He continued when Merlin look unconvinced. "I did not fully agree to my father's way of dealing with certain things involving magic-users and magical creatures, namely killing them on sight. Even more so now, when I am saved by magic and have seen what good it can bring." He clapped the manservant's shoulder good-naturedly.

"And as for the reason for abolishing the law, I will attribute it to the lightning that fell from the sky on that day in Camlann. It was sorcery that decimated the Saxon's battle formation. If not for that magic, we would have suffered more deaths than this and this is proof that magic can also be used for good. There are hundreds of still-alive soldiers that can attest to that."

Merlin looked down at the king's hands, where his quill was dashing at breakneck speed across the parchment as he talked. Signing off with a flourish, Arthur proudly presented his completed speech to the manservant which seemed to pacify him. Merlin hummed as he scanned through the words.

"So what do you think?"

"Hardly above average in terms of vocabulary and sorely lacking in character, but it will have to do." Arthur snorted as Merlin parroted his words.

"We're still having your magic lesson. Be sure to be by the stables at four."

Arthur groaned.

The speech he gave two hours later was met with due applause and quite some surprise when he mentioned magic in their victory against the Saxons. Arthur wisely left out the part about abolishing the law, giving them a chance to absorb the information first. He followed the schedule set out for him to the letter. Merlin had also briefed Gwen about his training session so despite his many attempts to stay for afternoon tea with the court nobles, he couldn't refuse when he was promptly shooed out by Gwen. Dressed in civilian clothes, Excalibur on hip, he used a cloak to conceal his face and set off to the stables, albeit very reluctantly. Merlin had readied two horses before he arrived and he followed the manservant as they rode out of the city, only stopping as they emerged into the same glade Merlin talked to Kilgharrah last night. Merlin noticed some rather oddly-coloured egg shells littering the plain up ahead but ignored them, choosing to focus on the task at hand.

Arthur's mixed feelings of anticipation and trepidation manifested themselves as butterflies in his stomach as he dismounted. As much as he was unwilling to learn, he was just as curious as to how magic was learnt, and if he ever intended to welcome sorcery back into Camelot, he would have to know how it worked.

"Alright then, let's start." Merlin pulled a backpack off from his own mount, lugging it to the middle of the clearing and bringing out pots, pans, other miscellaneous items and a bound leather book. Arthur frowned, "I thought we are supposed to have a sorcery class not home economics."

Merlin grinned. "We don't need any magical items for the first lesson. That's for apprentice-level spells. Today we're going to teach you how to control your magic first by levitating these pots."

"But I already know how to move things, can't we move on to others?"

"And who was it that didn't want to learn magic?"

"…"

"Anyway," Merlin set a pan in front of Arthur, "doing it by instinct and controlling magic on purpose are two different things. Now, try to lift it- with magic, magic! Not your hand!"

Arthur snorted and sat cross-legged in front of the pan, laying Excalibur by his side. Merlin sat a ways from him and started flipping through the leather tome. He read from a passage. "Concentrate on the object, gather your magic then when you feel that you got enough magic built up, imagine the object moving the way you want. No incantations are needed for this because it's a simple levitation spell."

Arthur concentrated on the pan as told, clearing his mind off unnecessary things. "Imagine, imagine," he muttered to himself. The king felt something build up inside him, an uncomfortable feeling that grew as he thought about it. _Could this be magic?_ The feeling swirled in his gut, growing as he let it simmer. Feeling the buildup immensely uncomfortable, the king decided that it was best to let it out.

What came out was a very loud "poot" and a terrible smell.

Merlin gagged and scooted further away, upwind from the offending odour. He hid his face behind the leather-bound tome, wisely choosing to hide his laughter between the folds of the book.

"Merlin?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

Ignoring the lanky lad and his heaving shoulders, Arthur focused again on the pan. Flatulence buildup done with, he felt much better. The magic came easily to him then. _As if I was born with it._ Arthur thought, then dismissed it with a shake of his head. How absurd, he would have known if he possessed magic.

He levitated the pan and made it clock the still-snickering Merlin on the head. That shut him up.

They spent the best part of the training session with Merlin increasing the amount of items he had to levitate, gradually upping the difficulty by having Arthur move certain cooking utensils in a random formation while keeping the rest stationary.

By the end of the evening, Arthur could levitate six items and successfully move a grand total of three pots in opposite directions while rotating them all at the same time. In regards to his powers the king was less than average but he had a strong control on his powers.

Merlin clapped his hands to signify the end of the lesson as Arthur flopped back on the clearing groaning. The magic exercises didn't tax him physically, but Arthur still felt tired. The remnants of magic sparking in and out of life in his cranium somewhat soothed his overtaxed brain cells.

"Alright, now there's someone I want you to meet before we set back, someone who had a part in saving you." Arthur raised himself on his elbows to look at Merlin, a quizzical look on his features. He wondered who it was.

Beside him, Merlin took a deep breath and stepped forward, suddenly roaring out in an ancient language that Arthur had never heard of. He flinched at the raw power that Merlin's voice reverberated. Was this really the klutzy, always tripping-over-himself Merlin he was so used to seeing? If anyone had asked at that moment, Arthur wouldn't have known how to reply.

Not long after, a white figure swooped overhead, circling before coming to land before them, buffeting them with resulting air drafts. Arthur stepped back warily, hand reaching for Excalibur.

Merlin was just as surprised as Arthur was. He had called for Kilgharrah only to be met with Aithusa. Dread curled in his stomach as he remembered the recurring wound on the dragon's wing. Plus, Aithusa had sided with Morgana and the Saxons, she couldn't have…To Kilgharrah…

"Merlin…" Arthur warned, sword unsheathed and at the ready. He had seen the white dragon set fire to a few of his men and judging from his servant's reaction he was not expecting the dragon either. He maneuvered so that he was standing in front of Merlin.

Aithusa snapped at the blade. Arthur almost jumped out of his skin. Behind him, Merlin yelled something about another dragon. A shadow that loomed overhead made Arthur look up only to see Kilgharrah's very big belly descending on them. Grabbing Merlin's arm, the king pulled his servant away in the direction of their horses, not turning around even when he heard the bigger dragon land. Trust Merlin to land them into even more trouble. Whatever Merlin called for with that voice of his, he was sure it wasn't this. One dragon he could handle, but two was out of the question, especially if the second had somehow resurrected from the dead and had previously come close to burning Camelot to the ground.

"Arthur! Stop!" Merlin yanked his arm out of the king's grasp and turned back to the two dragons. "They're friends. You already know the big one there, he's Kilgharrah who flew you to the Isle of the Blessed and if he had not, you would not have lived. And the other, smaller one is Aithusa."

Arthur narrowed his eyes at the servant. He had been drifting in and out of consciousness last time from the intense pain of the sword fragment to pay any attention to the dragon, assuming that Merlin pulled one of his magic tricks again. Least of all, he didn't expect a slain dead dragon to be flying free instead of lying six feet underground. He would have a talk with Merlin soon. But the king sheathed his sword anyway, cautiously following the servant as he greeted the two dragons.

Kilgharrah inclined his head in response to Merlin's introductions. Arthur suddenly thought that for dragons, they possessed more courtesy than a certain manservant.

"I expected the King to look more… Kingly." Aithusa blinked owlishly at Arthur.

Merlin and Arthur both exclaimed at the same time, "you can talk!"

"Yes, yes, she speaks, the great dragon has spoken and all that." Remarked Aithusa dryly, clearly amused by their looks of shock.

Kilgharrah chuckled, addressing the king, "I am glad that you are well, Arthur Pendragon." He continued, "dragons can talk just as well as humans can, though it takes a little bit of magic to fully understand our speech. As for Aithusa, she was trapped in a curse which controlled her against her will and set free when Morgana passed." He didn't elaborate much on Aithusa's condition after.

An obsidian black head poked out from the back of Kilgharrah and gave a petulant squeak. The little dragonling hopped off the dragon's back and scampered to Merlin. The manservant was at a loss for words as he scooped the baby into his arms. The rest of the hatchlings quickly followed suit and before long Merlin was enveloped in a wave of various-coloured reptilian wings and dissonant squeaks and squeals. Arthur crouched beside Merlin and tentatively petted a mottled-brown dragonling that turned to look at him. The dragonling immediately detached itself from the writhing mass and pounced on Arthur, eliciting a cry of surprise from the king. Its claws were sharp, but they didn't break skin as Etmyer nuzzled Arthur's cheek, squeaking in contentment.

"It seems that he likes you." Aithusa commented. By then Etmyer had poked his head into the opening of Arthur's shirt, probably looking for food.

"How did… You find them?" Merlin managed to gasp out, extricating his head from the mass of nipping dragons.

"The Disir handed them into my care. They said that these were the last remaining dragons, saved from the wrath of Uther Pendragon when he ordered the killing of dragons." Merlin frowned at the mention of the Disir but didn't say anything.

Arthur noticed that Kilgharrah said his father's name with a hint of bitterness. He didn't blame the dragon's animosity, if anything it was well-founded and by not killing the son of the person who slain his kin but instead helping in saving him, the dragon had shown mercy that he would not have under similar circumstances. He looked down on Etmyer who was currently mouthing Excalibur's hilt. He knew that dragons coexisted somewhat harmoniously with people (apart from the occasional stolen livestock and foolish knight who believed he could slay a dragon) before Uther had called for their extermination and a smile tugged at his lips when Etmyer raised his head and licked his cheek. These were hardly the man-eating monstrosities he was led to believe.

Acting on impulse, Arthur stepped forward and bowed low, momentarily exposing his nape to Kilgharrah as an act of trust. "As acting King of Camelot, I apologise on behalf of the deceased King Uther of the treatment you and your kind have endured. And I thank you for saving my life." Etmyer nearly dropped off his shirt but he scooped the dragonling back up.

If Kilgharrah was surprised by Arthur's action he did not show it, merely inclining his head a second time. Beside him, Aithusa snorted, "apologies and grattitude won't bring our kin back. At least give us something in return-" she fell silent at the older dragon's warning growl.

Arthur realized she was right. But he honestly didn't know what to give to a dragon and he voiced his concerns. Kilgharrah hummed before speaking "if you want to do something for me, then I'd like to let these children grow up in an environment without fear of being hunted down... Freedom to soar through the skies, as proud dragons again is all I ask." He made a noise at the back of his throat and the seven dragonlings obediently detached themselves from the two men and went to him. Merlin comically gasped for air, covered in bite marks and scratches. Not waiting for Arthur's reply he hustled them onboard and turned around, unfurling his wings. It wasn't long before he took off, flying in circles around the clearing.

Aithusa snorted at Arthur, "as un-kingly as you seem, both Merlin and Kilgharrah seem to have high hopes for you, so I guess it's alright to put just a smidgen of faith in you." She turned around and unfurled her own pearl-white wings, buffeting the two men as she took off. The two dragons circled the area one last time before setting back whence they came.

"Well, that went well." Merlin straightened his neckerchief and gave himself a pat-down, leading the king back to where they picketed the horses. Arthur seemed deep in thought as they made their way back to Camelot in companionable silence.

Arthur finally popped the question when Merlin unsaddled his horse.

("Merlin, will you marry me?" Haha, not! I ship Merthur but not that way)

"Merlin, do you think I can make Camelot safe again for Kilgharrah and the rest of them?"

Merlin stopped midway, and stared at him. He put his hands on Arthur's shoulders and looked into his eyes, "Arthur, I cannot think of one king more suited for the task at hand." He continued as Arthur raised an eyebrow, "you have already started the ball rolling, by unbanning magic from Camelot. Soon, magic-users will return to Camelot and the use of magic will be the norm again!" A grin split Merlin's features as he warmed up to the idea. "And then we can reintroduce the dragons again! My god Gaius will be so surprised!"

Arthur couldn't help but grin, the manservant's enthusiasm was infectious. "Alright then, I believe in you." He took one of Merlin's hands from his shoulder and thrust Excalibur into it.

"Eh?"

"But first, clean this up for me will you?"

Merlin looked down on the sword's hilt, plastered with sticky dragonling-saliva as Arthur quickly exited the stables, whistling a tune to himself.

The long, drawn-out groan that came from the stables cheered the king to no end as he climbed the steps back to his bedchambers. There was still plenty of time before the feast started. Snatching a piece of parchment and his quill from the dressing table, Arthur got to work.

Two hours later, a very pleased King Arthur, accompanied by Gwen, sat down at the head of the table in the great hall, a scroll of parchment neatly tucked into his celebratory raiments. He was confident his plan would work, but he wouldn't execute it, at least not yet.

The whole hall would have to be sufficiently inebriated first.

* * *

><p>(AN: Ahahaha I found myself smiling for the better part of the chapter. I had so much fun writing this chapter! I think I'm kinda getting the hang of writing fanfiction now.. I hope, ehehehe...  
>Also I found this awesome mmorpg game called Tera Online, I'm never leaving my computer ever again! oAo;;; <p>

**MerlinMorgana1579 **ohmygawd you're absolutely right! I knew I should have gone with Leon! Ugguuu... lllORZ  
><strong>mersan123<strong> glad you like it! I absolutely love how Aithusa turned out too. Sassy dragon is awesome dragon~  
><strong>XxPAxX<strong> Well, I found a few fics concerning Arthur and magic but I didn't read them cuz I was re-power-reading through my newest-bought copy of Unwind by Neal Shusterman! Its an old book but I absolutely love his work! Not even Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper made me cry so bad...  
>But I digress, and thank you <strong>Coolestbee<strong> I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have a penchant for complicated-yet-logical plots and plot-twists if I dare say so myself~ [[HEAVY BREATHING]]

Once again thank you all for reading! ***THROWS SPARKLES* **(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧


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